7.5.2 Minor Parents (CMM)

The Minor Parents (CMM) placement is for individuals who are custodial
minor parents. A custodial minor parent (under the age of 18, male or
female) is eligible for W-2Wisconsin
Works regardless of the minor parent’s living arrangement
and his/her financial or nonfinancial eligibility status.

EXAMPLE:
Kerrie is the mother of Olivia. They live with Kerrie's mother,
Sandra. Kerrie is 17 years old. Anthony, also 17 years-old, is Olivia's
father and Kerrie's boyfriend. Anthony lives in the home with Sandra,
Kerrie, and Olivia. Sandra's income provides the household's only
income and exceeds W-2 financial eligibility requirements. However,
Kerrie and Anthony both meet all of the CMMCase
Management Minor Parents placement requirements
simply by being a minor parent regardless of W-2 financial and nonfinancial
eligibility status and regardless of living arrangement.

FEPFinancial
and Employment Plannerss should provide individuals
in the CMM placement with information regarding:

·Available child care
services;

·Employment and financial
planning;

·Family planning services;

·Community resources:
and

·Eligibility for BadgerCare
Plus, FoodShare and other food and nutrition programs.

The FEP should counsel a minor parent living independently on the importance
of living in an adult-supervised living arrangement and should discuss
optional living arrangements such as living with relatives, beginning
with the assumption the minor parent would live with his or her parents.
When appropriate, a referral for the minor parent must be made to the
county or tribal social/human services agency or another appropriate community
based organization for assistance in finding an adult-supervised supportive
living arrangement.

If there is reasonable cause to suspect that the minor parent or a child
of the minor parent has been abused or neglected, has been threatened
with abuse or neglect, or that abuse or neglect will occur, the W-2 agency
must make a report to the child welfare agency. By law, FEPs are mandated
reporters of child abuse and neglect.

Minor teen parents may be eligible for a Wisconsin Shares child care
subsidy while attending high school or its equivalent when they are living
independently or living in a supervised living arrangement, including
living with a custodial parent who is in a W-2
Employment Position Community Service Job, Trial Employment Match Program, and W-2 Transition.

A custodial parent who is enrolled in a W-2 employment position may
be eligible for Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy and any minor teen
parent in this household may also be eligible for a Wisconsin Shares child
care subsidy. In order to be eligible for Wisconsin Shares, all W-2 eligible
adults and minor teen parents must be engaged in activities as described
in Child Care Policy Manual, Section 1.3.8 Participation
in Approved Activities. W-2 agencies are encouraged to inform W-2
households with minor teen parents that they may be eligible for child
care assistance and should encourage them to apply for this assistance
at the local Income Maintenance agency.

Approved activities for unmarried minor teen parents include Learnfare,
high school, or the high school equivalency. Approved activities for the
adult may include any activity assigned by the W-2 agency as part of the
W-2 employment position. The authorization for child care should be written
to cover the overlapping times that the adult and minor teen parents are
both engaged in an approved activity.